· · ───── ·𖥸· ───── · ·

"Hey Lan WangJi, could I speak to you for a minute?"

Said cultivator turned his head, seeing that it was Wei WuHui as she gestured for him to come over. Standing up from his seat, he leaves Wei WuXian and Lan XiChen to chat to each other as he walked over to the dark-robed maiden, who has pulled her signature smoking pipe out.

"What is it that you want to talk about?" Lan WangJi asked.

Wei WuHui puffed out a cloud of smoke as she dazelessly stared up at the sky. "Do you...love my Gēge?

His eyes widened as he got caught off guard from that kind of question before he felt his face and ears warming up. "M-Mn."

Apparently, that was all the maiden needed as she let out a warm-hearted giggle, turning to the flustered man. "Good. Then, I'll leave him in your care from now on," then a solemn smile appeared on her face. "If there comes a day where I am...no longer in this world, please...look after him for me. Don't leave his side and always love him. Can you promise me that, Lan WangJi?"

Lan WangJi stared at the maiden silently and without a second to spare, he performed a salute toward the maiden. "I, Lan WangJi, vow to love Wei Ying unconditionally and stay by his side for the rest of my life. No matter what."

Wei WuHui blinked before huffing happily as she took another puff. "Good, I'm happy you'll be my Xiǎo–Shū.

Lan WangJi straightened back up as he looked at the maiden with a fond expression. "And I feel the same, Sǎo–Sao." And when he said that, there was a teasing tone mixed into it.

This caused Wei WuHui to burst out laughing.

———

"A-Yang...okay...please...my heart."

Who is that...I don't care anymore...just leave me alone

"Get...lost..."

I've killed...I killed Gēge...I killed him...my precious Gēge

"A-Yang, please let me heal you."

"Get...lost."

"Okay, I will get lost but just let me heal you."

I...want to...die

"Wei Yang, I love you. Please come back to me, my Heart."

"GET LOST! GET LOST! GET LOST!"

"Lan XiChen, you—!"

"GET LOSTTTTTTTTT!"

———

Groggy, she opened her eyes and found herself staring at the familiar dark caved ceiling of the Demon-Slaughtering Cave.

"How long..."

"Three months. You laid there for three fucking months."

Wei WuHui looked weakly to her left, finding Xue Yang glaring down at her as he sat beside the bed. But through those anger and frustration, there was fear and relief as he looked at the awakened maiden.

"Three...months?" She repeated slowly before gasping sharply as series of memories flashed rapidly in her head.

Wen Qing's death and Wen Ning's rampage.

The Bloodbath in Nightless City.

Her brother...getting stabbed right in front of her.

Her holding the Stygian Tiger Amulet.

Wei WuHui quickly pulled herself off the slab, ignoring the flaring pain that occurred throughout her entire body as she staggered out of the cave.

'I have to get them out. They must leave' that single thought repeated in her head as she stumbled over to where the rest of the Wen remnants were living.

"Wei Gu-Niang?" Uncle Four called out as he spotted the dark-robed maiden, sagging in relief as she came over to him.

"Leave. You all have to get away from here. You'll die if you stay." Wei WuHui spoke as she grasped Uncle Four's shoulders, panting. "Please...escape from here."

All the other Wen remnants gathered around the maiden the moment they all saw and heard her as each of them had these sorrowful acceptance expressions.

"Wei Gu-Niang, we know what happened and we don't blame you." Uncle Four stated.

Wei WuHui gasped as she stared at them.

"We can't leave you here to fend for yourself. We'll stay and fight till the end." Uncle Four continued.

"Are you crazy? I've already lost Wen Qing and Wen Ning! I can't lose you all too!" Wei WuHui proclaimed desperately but then she gasped as in unison, the Wen remnants got down onto their knees and kowtow to her.

"We, thank you for everything you've done. Thank you for prolonging our lives until now. We will forever be grateful, even in deaths."

Wei WuHui stared tearfully as she felt her heart grew heavy. Tears already dripping down her face as she returned their gratitudes with a salute and bowing a perfect 90° degree

"Thank you...for being my family until the end."

———

"Māma?" Wei WuHui carried her twins and guided Wen Yuan and Xue Yang to a secluded area of the Mounds as the day becomes dark.

But she knew...her end is coming soon.

"Hey Old Hag, what's going on?" Xue Yang asked as he furrowed his brows at her.

"Everything will be okay." Wei WuHui reassured as she gave the children a smile before she stopped at a spot where there was a drawn array on the earthy ground.

She then set her twins down in the center and gestured Wen Yuan and Xue Yang to do the same.

"Māma!" Lan Bao squealed as he reached out his small arms to her.

Wei WuHui felt herself tearing up again as with a heavier heart, she gave both her twins the tightest embrace that she will give to them...for the last time.

"Māma loves you both. Remember that, okay?" Wei WuHui sniffled, pulling back to smooth down Lan Mei's hair and caressed Lan Bao's cheek.

Then, she moved onto Wen Yuan as she gave the child another tight embrace. "A-Yuan, promise me that you'll grow up big and strong."

Wen Yuan could only return the tight embrace with his own as he nodded his head. "Hui-Jiejie."

And lastly, she turned to Xue Yang. "Xiao–Yang, will you ever hate me for doing this?"

Xue Yang scrunched up his face before huffing as he shook his head. "Why would I hate you? You're being weird, Old Hag."

Hearing that, Wei WuHui let out a tearful chuckle as she gave the boy, a hug as she caressed his hair gently. "Remember this, Xiao–Yang. Revenge is never worth the risks so you must live. You must live for as long as you could without thinking of revenges and vengeance. Understand, you brat?"

"...understood." Xue Yang mumbled as the dark-robed maiden pulled away, looking at him and the other children with utter endearment.

Then, she stepped out of the array as she stared at the children fondly. "Live long...all of you."

And with that, she activated the array and a bright red light engulfed the children.

Her twins, startled, cries as they clung to Wen Yuan.

"Wha–Old Hag, what are you doing?!" Xue Yang yelled as he immediately tried to go to the maiden but unfortunately found a barrier in between them. He hit his fists on the barrier. "Old Hag!"

Wei WuHui could only turned her back to the children. Closing her eyes tightly as she listened to her babies' cries for her and Xue Yang yelling angrily, but she managed to not turned to face them as she started to walked away

"OLD HAG!!!"

———

"Great news! Wei WuHui is dead!"

TRANSLATION NOTE:

— 小叔 Xiǎo–Shū: husband's younger brother; brother-in-law
— 嫂嫂 Sǎo–Sao: older brother's wife; sister-in-law

· · ───── ·𖥸· ───── · ·

(Please correct my translation if I'm wrong and the GIFs and pictures used in this chapter does not belong to me, but their rightful owners)